A turbocharger for use with an internal combustion engine may typically include a compressor that may be driven by a turbine or other rotation imparting device. The turbine may have a wheel connected to a compressor wheel by a common shaft that is supported for rotation by bearings. The bearings may be disposed in a housing that may be situated between the turbine and the compressor, which together may form a core assembly.
A turbocharger's rotor assembly may rotate at speeds that approach hundreds of thousands of revolutions per minute. In addition, the turbine may be exposed to high temperature exhaust gases and the resulting heat may be transferred to other system components. Under these harsh, and increasingly demanding operating conditions, the lifespan of a turbocharger is expected to match that of the engine with which it operates. To accomplish that challenge, the design of a turbocharger and its components must be robust to survive as expected, while still being cost effective and competitive. As a result, a turbocharger is designed to exacting tolerances and standards, and in view of the involved rotational speeds, a turbocharger assembly must be precisely balanced.